Pussy Riot members sentenced to 2 years in prison for 'punk prayer'

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Three members of an all-girl Russian punk band were each sentenced to two years in prison Friday for staging a guerrilla performance of a song that criticized Vladimir Putin.

The members of Pussy Riot -- one of whom is a permanent resident of Canada -- have already been in jail for six months.

Their conviction and sentencing on Friday triggered a wave of global protests at Russian embassies in cities around the world.

Immediately after the decision was issued, Twitter came alive with supporters of the band slamming the ruling and calling on like-minded sympathizers to join demonstrations.

Maria Alyokhina, 24, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, 22, and Yekaterina Samutsevich, 29, were charged with hooliganism connected with religious hatred after they stormed into a central cathedral in Moscow and briefly performed a song that entreated the Virgin Mary to protect Russia from Putin.

Videos of the performance show masked band members jumping, kicking and punching the air near the altar of the church, while also bowing down in an apparent mockery of orthodox prayer.

It has been described as a "punk prayer," though the judge in their trial said the obscenity-laced, flash mob-style performance showed a "complete lack of respect" for Orthodox believers and was a premeditated violation of public order.

The three women remained calm and smiled during the sentencing.

Tolokonnikova laughed when the judge read a statement from a psychologist calling her "active stance on social issues" an anomaly.

The performance took place in February, when Putin was on the verge of winning a new term as Russian president.

In recent weeks the case has made headlines around the world and support has galvanized for the women, two of whom have young children and have not been allowed to see their families.

"It is exposing the actual concerns that we have been expressing for quite some time about the restriction on freedom of expression, freedom of association and freedom of assembly," said David Diaz-Jogeix, of the human rights advocacy group Amnesty International.

The group has been calling for the immediate and unconditional release of the band members, saying their performance did not constitute a criminal act.

A number of international pop stars have expressed their support for the group, including Paul McCartney, Madonna and Bjork.

Governments such as the United States, Britain, France and Germany called the ruling excessive, and even some Kremlin loyalists expressed disapproval.

Former Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin said the verdict has dealt "yet another blow to the court system and citizens' trust in it."

"The country's image and its attractiveness in the eyes of investors have suffered an enormous damage," he added.

Prosecutors had asked for three-year sentences for the women, down from the possible seven-year maximum. Putin himself had said he hoped the sentencing would not be "too severe."

Dmitry Peskov, a Kremlin spokesman, said that Putin couldn't intervene in the judicial process.

Defence lawyers said the women would appeal the verdict but are not holding out for the decision to be overturned.

The women also will not request a pardon from Putin, according to defence lawyer Mark Feygin.

A defence lawyer on Friday said that one of the band members -- Tolokonnikova -- is a Canadian permanent resident. Tolokonnikova’s husband has lived in Canada, where he attended school.